Amusement device.



,N.`7|2,4o7. 4Patented ont. 2a, |902.

' A. T. PHESCOTT.

AMUSEMENT DEVICE.

pp n Bled May 31, 1902) (No Model.) f Sheds-Sheet l;

A. T. PEscoTT.

Mausi-:MEM nEvlcE.

(Application med may a1, 1902.) (No Model.) 4 Sheets-Shut 2.

No. 7I2,407. Patented Oct. 28, |902.

No. 7|2,407. Patented ct. 28, |902.

. l A. T. PnEscoTT.

A'MUSEMENT DEViCE. (Application 1ed May 31, 1902.

No. 712,407. Patented oet. 2a, |902.)

.A. T. PBESCOTT. MIUSEMENTDEVICE. (Application med'my s1, 1902.) (Ilo Model.) l 4 Sheets-Sheet 4.

. sof

IUNtir-n"D STATESl PATENT OFFICE.

ARTHUR T. PRESCOTT, OF ARLINGTON, MASSACHUSETTS.

AlVlUSElVI ENT DEVICE.

tJIEECIFIGATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 712,407, dated October-28, 1902 y Application net May 31,1902, serial No. 109,620. (No model.) y

acters on the drawings representing like parts.

' This invention relates to amusement de-A vices of the roller-coaster type, and has for its object to provide a bicycle-track having a downward incline and a verticallyarranged loop vportion whereby a bicycle-rider may in traversing Ithe trackdescend the downward incline by gravity and pass around the inte# y rior of the loop, the force necessary to carry him through the loop being acquired during the descent of the downwardly-inclined portion of the track and the rider being held to the track in traversing the loop by centrifugal force. Y

The construction of the track that I prefer-1 ably employ colnprises a plurality of girders running longitudinally of the track, upon which is supported and to which is secured the floor portion of the track upon which the bicycle travels. I wllpreferably construct a part of or the `entire iioor portion in sec tions, which are independent from each other and each of which is detachably securedt the girders, whereby any one section may be readily removed or replaced. Inasmuch as the bicycle in traversing the loop has to be guided by the rider, I prefer to make that portion of the track constituting the verti cally-arranged loop wider than the down-A wardly-inclined portion, so as to allow the rider some latitude in making the circle of the loop. I also will preferably provide the floor portion of` the track with a guiding-` stripe, which runs longitudinallyof the track and which `will be of some color contrasting withthe colorof the floor portion of the track, this guiding-stripe serving to assist the rider in keeping the center of the track While passing through the loop.

Other details of the invention will bc more particularly hereinafter described, and pointed outin the claims. Figure l shows a perspective View of my improved amusement device. Fig. 2 is a side elevation of the loop portion thereof. Fig. 3 is a detail showing the manner of securing the floor-sections of the track to the girders. Fig. 4r is a perspective view of the framework for the loop. Fig. 5 is a detail showing one `way in which` the downwardly-inclined pori tion of the track may besupported. Fig 6 is la plan view of the loopportion of the track. 6o E'Fig 7 is a detail of the guidingstripe;

Fig. 8 illustrates on e braking de vice for gradually stopping the rider after he has been through rthe loop, and Fig. 9 is a detail of a floor'section.

The general arrangement ofthe track is somewhat similar to that illustrated in patent to Edwin Prescott', No. 667,455, patented February 5, 1901, in that it has the downwardlyinclined portion 3 and the verticallyarranged loop portion 4. In'` this instance, however, the track instead` of having rails upon which i a car is adapted to run, as in said patent, has

acontinuous floor-surface over which a bicycle is adapted to travel.

One convenient way of constructing this bicycle-track is to provide arseries of girders which extend longitudinally of the track and on which the floor-surface is supported. In the drawings the girders are designated by 5, and they extend from thetop of the track down the inclined portion 3, and are then bent upwardly, rearwardly, anddownwardly to form the loop portion 4; These girders may be of any suitable size and shape; but I have found from practice that angle-iron answers all purposes, and I will preferably therefore use this material. The floor-surface, especially that portion thereof constitilting the loop, will preferably be made in sections s, and each section will comprise a plurality of boards extending transversely of the track and secured to a backing s'trip or cleat, and the various floor -sections when completed will be detachably secured to the girders 5, which form the framework of the track. Fig. 9 shows a portion of one` section of the door, which, as illustrated, comprises the transversely-extending boards `6, which are secured to the backing strips or cleats 7 situated on the back of the section, said cleats being arranged to extend longitudinallyof the track. If desired, the Hoor-surface of the downward incline may be rigidly secured to the girders, and, in fact, my invention would not' be departed from if the entire extent of the floor-surface were thus secured to the girders. The object in making the loop portion of the floor-surface in sections detachably secured to the girders is to facilitate the erection ot' the loop portion ofthe track and also to allow the sections to be easily removed in case the amusement device is used in connection with a circus or in any other place Where the sections when in place would obstruct the View of some part of the performance. In such instance the door-sections constituting the loop portion of the track will be removed when the track is not to be used, but can be readily replaced when the perfol-mance on the track is being carried on.

Fig. 3 shows one simple Way of detachably securing the various floor-sections to the girders, and, in said figure, 9 designatesasuitable button which is secured to the back side of the.

Hoor-section, and the nose 10 of which when in operative position locks over the horizontal ange of the angle-iron girder. There will preferably be four or more of these buttons on each floor-section, as seen in Fig. 6. Any other suitable means may be employed, however, for securing the floor-sections to the girders without departing from the spirit of my invention. The advantage secured by the use of the buttons 9 is the great facility with which the floor-sections may be put in place and removed.

The backing strips or cleats 7 of adjacent door-sections are provided with interlocking ends, as best seen in Fig. 2, wherein one end of the backing-strip on each section has a projection 11, which enters a corresponding recessin the end of the next adjacent backing-strip, this construction serving to assist in secureiyholding the floor-sections in place. The floor-sections may, if desired, be further secured in place by bolting the backing-strips to the vertical flange of the angle-iron, as seen at 12 in Figs. 3 and 9.

Since the bicycle in making the trip over the track has to be guided entirely by the rider, I have found it desirable for the safety of the rider to make the loop port-ion of the track wider than the downwardly-inclined portion, and, as illustrated in Figs. 1, 6, and 7, the widening of the track begins at substantially the point where the downwardlyinclined portion 3 merges into the loop portion 4 or at about the point 13 in Fig. 2. From the point 13 through the first half 14 of the loop and into the last half l5a thereof the track is of a progressively-increased width, as best seenl in Fig. 6, this increase of width Vallowing ample leeway to insure the rider safely guiding his wheel through the loop. In order to secnrelysupport the wider portion of the track, I will throughout the loop portion preferably employ three girders 5, as best seen in Fig. 4. To further assist the rider in guiding his bicycle over the course, I may employ a guiding-stripe 15, which may Vportion of the loop.

be either painted on or otherwise secured to the floor-section and which will preferably be of acolor contrasting with the floor. So long as the rider follows the guiding-stripe closely he knows that he is traveling at the center of the track, and is therefore inno danger of running off -the same.

The loop portion of the track must necessarily be in the form of a spiral, as will be obvious, and it is necessary, therefore, for the rider as he enters the loop to turn his Wheel slightly in the direction of a spiral in order to carry him safely through the loop, and in order that he may have some indication as to the proper instant at which to begin to guide his bicycle through the loop I will preferably provide a guiding-stripe at .the entering portion of the loop with an indication-mark which serves to indicate to the rider when he passes over the same that he must turn the steering-Wheel of his bicycle slightly. Fig. 7 illustrates one form of such indication-mark, it being in the nature of a spur 16, projecting from one side of the guiding-stripe and indicating to the rider the point where andthe direction in which he must turn his Wheel. This indication-mark will be situated at about the point a, Fig. 1, of the track.

I prefer to make the loop portion of the track of substantially the same design as that shown in the patent to Prescott, No. 667,455, above referred to--that is, the track at the foot of the downward incline or at about the point m, Fig. 2, merges into a curve of progressively-decreasing radii which passes into and forms the first half 14 of the loop, while commencing substantially at the horizontal diameter of the loop and extending to the end of the track the curve is one of progressivelyincreasing radii. This method of constructing the track brings the crossing-point o of the track or the lowest point of the loop above the curved portions?n and s of the track leading into and out from the loop, so that the lowest portions of the inclines leading to and out from the loop are in a plane below any The object in this special form of loop isto provide an easy curve leading into and out from the loop whereby the rider experiences no shock or jar in his passage from the downward incline into the loop, all as more fully set forth in said abovementioned patent. While it is preferable to thus construct [he loop, yet my invention would not be departed from if the loop were some other shape.

The loop portion of the track may be held and braced in any suitable way; but I prefer to employ the means shown in Fig. 4, since it occupies a minimum amount of space and operates to thoroughly brace the structure.V

Beneath the loop portion of the track I will preferably employ a foundation-Work comprising the longitudinal sills 20 and thecrosssills 2l, these sills being of metal or wood or anyothersuitable material. Extendingtrans- IOO IIC

versely of th'esill structure is the cross-girder 22, which is raisedslightly from the sills and on whichtheygirdersv 5 rest atthepoint' o, Where they cross each other and extend into and leave the loop; Secured to eachcrosssill 2l are the vertical braces 23, which extend up either side otthe loopand which are tied togetherat their upper ends by the tie members.24. The uprights 23 of the frame are tangent to the curved portions of the girders Whichform the loopand are secured thereto in anyvsuitable Way, and the tie members24 are also tangent to the loop and secured to the girders 45, as seen in tFigs. 2 and 4. The sills 21, the nprights23, `and the tie members 24 thus form a substantiallyrectangular frame, which incloses the loopiportion of the track and `which serves'r to securely brace the same against any strains incident to passageof the rider through theloop.4 i i i It is my intention tolconstruct this appara# tus so that itcan 'beqem-ployed as vpart of'a circus equipment, and when used in this way it must be constructed so as to be" readilyset up or taken down. lAccordinglyI Willpref# erably provide the `uprights 23 With eyes at theirlower ends, which may be hinged to corresponding eyes on the sills 21, and the tie members 24 will be provided with some suitable means forsecuring them to the uprights which permits the structure to be readily set up or taken down. The curved portions of the girders 5, Whichform` theloop, are madein sections, one section of each of thegirders including the upper'half of the loop and extending from the pointb tothefpointc. lThese substantially semicircular portions of the girders, which I have designated d, will pref-` erably be fiXedly securedfto the tie members 24.` `In setti-ng up the loop portion vof the track the uprights28 can be laid down onA the ground and the eyes therein brought to regis- 1er with the eyes on the sills- 21,'When hingebolts can `be passed through the alined eyes, thus hinging the uprights to the sills. There# after the uprights-Will be turned about their hinges into their upright position, `When the cross members 24, with the curved sectionsd of the girders secu red thereto, Will be brought into position and secured tothe upper'ends of the'uprights. i Subsequently the portions" e and f of the girders forming` the lower-half of the loop will be brought intopositionand their ends detachably secured'to the ends of thesections d in `some suitable Way, and the uprights 23 will then be bolted or otherwise secured to the girders where they come tan-` same with theyupper xed section 31 and the lovversectionf32, `Which,is'hinged to the section l'inisomesuitable Way, as at 33,.and the lower end ofV which hinge-section meets the section of the `loop portion of Athe track which is supported on rthe girder-sections f. The downwardly-inclined portion of the track may be `supported in any suitable Way, but preferably will` be supported on struts 25, which rest at their lower ends on the ground and at their upper ends set `into sockets26 upon the under side of the track. The purpose in making ythesection 32of the track Vhinged is so that it may be raised, as shown in dotted lines, Fig. 2, so `asnot to obstruct the view of other parts of the performance when the device is usedin connection Witha circus. In order to Lstien the hingedsection 31, I will 'preferably trussthe same, as "at 34.

It is necessary to provide some braking device or similarmeans for gradually stopping the rider after he emerges from the loop, and in'Fig..8 I have illustrated 'one simple device for accomplishing this. In said gure 4l designates suitable posts situated either side of the path of the rider as he emerges i from `theloop, and 42 designates a suitable rope stretched across the posts at the proper height to `engage `the headof thel bicycle. The rope extends backwardly fromv the posts toward the `loop portion,'as at 43, and to each end of the rope is` secured a chain44, which is bent'back and extends forwardly toward the posts 41. The bicycle upon strikcreasing retardingforce upon the bicycle withoutany siid and Will thulsstop the rider den shock or jar. l i i i The bicycle which, preferably, .will-beein` ployed with this deviceA will have nocranks, but will merelybeprovided with stirrups; into `Which the rider will place his feet and by which he can brace himself during his ride.

The -operation'of the `device=Will be apparent from thedrawings and fromthe foregongfdescription. r In starting, the rider Will` stand upon the blocks 50, situatedatfeither sideof the starting-point of thetrack, which blocks raise the rider sufficiently so that an attendant may place the bicycle in position to 'receive the rider. Therider then takes his seat upon the .bicycle'and removes =his feet from theblocks 50, placing them in the stirrups,and is off. 1 .The length ofthe 'down'-k IOO IIO

ward incline is Vsuch that suffcientmomenf tum is-acquired by 'the rider to carry him up into and through the loop, the Vrider in traversing the upper portion of the loop of course being bottom side up, but being held to the track by centrifugal action. The guidingstripe 15 and indication-markv 16 serve to properly guide the rider through the loop, as above described, and as he emerges from the loop the retarding device (illustrated in Fig. 8) will gradually bring him to a stop.

While I have herein shown the loop portion of my track as used in connection with a downwardly-inclined portion, yet since the func# tion of a downwardly-inclined portion is to allow the rider to acquire sufficient speed before entering the loop to carry him through the loop it will be obvious that the loop portion of my track can be used without the downwardly-inclined portion, provided some suitable means are employed to give the rider sufficient momentum before entering the loop to carry him through t-he loop. As one way of giving the rider the requisite speed for entering the loop without the use of the downwardly-inclined portion of the track I would suggest the employment of a motor-bicycle.

My invention, therefore, is not necessarily limited to the construction of the loop in connection with the downwardly-inclined portion of the track, as I would consider as coming within my invention a track having a loop portion as above described without reference to the construction or position ofthe portion of the track leading into the loop.

Having described my invention, what I claim as new, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is-

1. An amusement device comprising a track having a smooth continuous surface of suicient width to permit a bicycle to travel thereover, and presenting a downward incline and a vertically-arranged loop.

2. An am usement device comprising a bicycle-track constructed to present a downward incline and a vertically-arranged loop,the portion of the track forming the loop being wider than the downwardlyinclined portion.

3. An amusement device comprising a bicycle track constructed to vpresent a downwardly-inclined portion and a vertically-ar ranged loop, the portion of the track forming the loop having a progressively-increasing width from the foot of the downwardly-inclined portion.

4. vAn amusement device comprisinga bicycle-track having a smooth continuous surface of suicient width to permit a bicycle to travel thereover, said track being provided with a guiding-stripe extending the length thereof.

5. An amusement device comprising a bicycle-track having a downwardly-inclined portion and a vertically-arranged loop, and a guiding-stripe extending the length of the track.

6. An amusement device comprising a bicymaar cle-track, havinga downwardly-inclined portion and a vertically-arrangedY loop, and a guiding-stripe extending throughout the loop portion of the track.

7. An amusement device comprising a'bicycle-track having a smooth continuous surface of sufcient width to permit a bicycle to travel thereover, the said track presenting a downwardly-inclined portion and a-vertically-arranged loop, and a guiding-stripe extending the length of the track, saidstripe being of a color contrasting with4 the color of the track.

8. A bicycle-track presenting a downward incline and a vertically-arranged loop, combined with a guiding-stripe extending the length of the track, and having a directingmark at the entering portion of the loop, to assist the rider in steering his bicycle through the loop. Y

9. A bicycle-track presenting a downward incline and a vertically-arranged loop, combined with a guiding-stripe extending through the loop portion of the track, said stripe havingar spur to indicate to the rider the direction in which to steer his bicycle.

IO. A bicyclp-track having a smooth, contin nous surface of sufficient width for a bicycle to travel thereover,:tnd presenting a downwardly-inclined portionand a. vertically-arranged loop, combined with means to gradually bring the bicycle `of the rider to rest after it leaves the loop.

1l. A bicycle-track presenting a downward incline and a vertically-arranged loop, combined with a retarding device to engage the bicycle of the rider and bring the same to rest gradually after leaving the loop.

l2. A bicycle-track presenting a downward incline and a verl ically-arranged loop portion, around the interior of which the rider passes, combined with a rope stretched across the path of the bicycle in position to be engaged by the latter after it has left the loop, and means whereby as the rope is dragged for- IIO ward by the bicycle an increasing weight is applied thereto.

13. A bicycle-track, comprising in its construction a plurality of grders extending in the direction of its length, and a floor secu red to the girders, said floor presenting a surface of sufficient width for a bicycle to travel thereover, and the track being formed4 to p resent a downwardly-inclined portion and avertically-arranged loop.

14:. A bicycle-track, comprising a downwardly-inclined portion and a vertically-arranged loop, and comprising in its construction a plurality of girders extending in the direction of the length of the track, a floor portion secured to the girders and forming a surface of sucient width for a bicycle to travel thereover, a portion of said floor being made in sections, and means to detachably secure each section to the girders.

l5. Ina bicycle-track, a plurality of girders extending longitudinally of the track, said girders having laterally-extended flanges,- a Hoor made in sections, and buttons sccurved to each section and `adapted to engagethe...

lianges of the girderwherebyheach section is detachably secnredin place.`

16; In a bicycle-track, a plurality of girtleis extendinglongitndinallyof the track,and constructed to present a downwardlyinclined portion and a vertically-arrangedlloop, anda floor supported by saidgirders.

17 In a bi`cycletrack,"a plurality of Agirders extendinglongitudinallyof the trac k`,and constructed to present a downwardly-inclined portion and a vertically-arranged loop,`and a door supported by said girders, the portion of the door' forming the loopbeing made in sections, and means to detachably secure'each sectionto the girders. s

18. A bicycle-track presenting atsome point in its courseavertically-arranged loop, the` floor of the loop portion of the track being made in independently-removable sections each of which is composed of boards extends ing transversely of the track, and rigidly secn red together by backingstrips or cleats extending longitudinally of the track. i l

19. A bicycle-track presenting at some poin in its course a vertically-arrangedloop, the oor of the loop portionof the track being madein independentlyremovable sections each of which is composed of boards extending transversely of the track and rigidly secured together by backing strips or cleats extending longitudinally of the track, the backing-strips of adjacent sections having their ends interlocked together.

20. In an amusement device, a substantially rectangular frame, a track having a vertical loop portion forming the interior of the door of the loop portion of the track being made ,in sections which are removably sustained in place.

24. A bicycle-track having a smooth, continuous surfacefofsufcient Width to permit a bicycle to travelthereover, a part of a track "being arranged to present a vertically-arranged loop.

25. s In an amusementdevice,a bicycle-track presen ting' in' its course a]vertically-arranged loop, a portion 'of the track forming the loop 'being Wider than the remainder thereof.

26. In an amusement device,a bicycle-track constructed to present at some portion of its course a vertically-arranged loop, the portion of the trackforming the loop having aprogressively-increasing width from the enteringpoint of the loop to the 'point of eXit therefrom.

27. In an amusement, device comprising a bicycle-track constructedto pre'scntat some point in its course a vertically-arranged loop, and a guiding-stripe 'extending `through the loop. i s 28. In an amusement device,a bicycle-track presenting a downwardly-inclined portion, anda vertically-arrangedloop, combined with a platform situated either side of the track at the starting-point, and upon Which the rider may stand while the bicycle is being placed in position. e i x e 29. A bicycle-track presentingat some portion in its course a vertically-arranged loop having variable radii, the loor of the track forming the loop having a variable Width.`

`30. A bicycle-track presenting at someportion in its course a vertically-arranged loop of variable radii, the floor of the track forming the loop having a" gradually-increasing Width from the entering-point of the loop to the exit therefrom. A

31.` A bicycle-track having a ioor portion of suficient Width to enable a bicycle to travel thereover, and presenting a substantially vertical loop, the portion of the track leading into the loop having progressively-decreasing radii as it approaches the horizontal diameter of the loop. 1

32. A bicycle-track, having a door portion of sufficient Width to enable a bicycle to travel thereover, and presenting a substantially vertical loop, the portion of the track leading into the loop having progressively-decreasing radii as it approaches the horizontal diameter of the loop, and the portion of the track leading out from the loop having progressively-` increasing radii from the horizontal diameter of the loop.

In testimony whereof I have signed my name to this specification in the presence of two subscribing Witnesses.

ARTHUR T. PRESCOTT.

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